President Vladimir Putin's administrative reform blueprints aim to streamline executive arrangements, with attention to focus on local bodies. The reform will make functionaries more responsible, and "take stock of who should answer for what", said the MP. "The various administrative levels are not to shift decision-making responsibilities on each other," he added.
President Putin's initiatives promise to buttress Russia's unity, make the executive authority more efficient, and bolster up anti-terror efforts, said Victor Grishin, head of the Duma committee for federal affairs and regional policies.
A gubernatorial election procedure offered by the President is in keeping with the current state of the Russian community, does not clash with essential constitutional premises, and will promote regional diets' role.
Russia needs practicable arrangements to increase regional governors' responsibility. It is a must, what with numerous imperfections of the present-day election system, Mr. Grishin went on.
Fifteen political parties, or even more, are enthusiastic about the presidential initiative. Not only the United Russia, parliamentary majority party, but Liberal Democrats and the Rodina are among them. Opinions of fifteen out of the 89 Russian constituent entities have reached the committee for today-all approving. The reform bill, however, leaves ample room for progress, and has to be streamlined before it comes to the Duma in a first and second readings. Thus, the gubernatorial nomination procedure is vaguein the available draft, and has to be specified, said Victor Grishin.
Alexander Kazakov, who leads an analogous committee for federal affairs and regional policies in the Federation Council, parliament's upper house, also addressed the gathering. He emphatically approved the idea of the current gubernatorial election patterns given up. "It has brought Russia nothing but trials and tribulations. There is no reason whatsoever to stick to it."
President Putin means a cardinal change of Russian administration, said the Senator, who had previously talked to several regional governors. All approved the prospective reform, he pointed out.
